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Words of Mathematics

Steven Schwartzman

Mathematical dictionaries rarely explain where any of the terms came from, and then only briefly... This is the first book that combines a mathematical dictionary and an etymological dictionary and as such, is recommended for any library covering the field of mathematics. — American Reference Books Annual

This unique dictionary discusses the etymologies of 1,500 mathematical terms. The product of serious scholarship, it is nevertheless comprehensible and enjoyable to read...A useful work for libraries —Choice

The book is an extraordinary, valuable, useful, and scholarly work, and I am extremely delighted to have it. — Howard Eves

The Words of Mathematics explains the origins of over 1500 mathematical terms used in English. While other dictionaries of mathematics define technical terms, this book concentrates on where those terms came from and what their literal meanings are. The words included here range from simple to advanced.

This dictionary is easy to use. Although some of the entries are highly technical, the book explains them in plain English. The introduction gives an overview of how the ancient language known as Indo-European developed into Latin, Greek, French, and English, the languages from which most of our mathematical vocabulary has been derived. Another section discusses the many ways in which mathematicians have borrowed and created their specialized vocabulary over the centuries. A glossary explains historical and linguistic terms used throughout the book.

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